Al-Refai A Sultan, Al-Barazenchy H Ali and Khalil A Kamal
Methotrexate (MTX) had been used for many years and complications usually encountered during treatment especially in cancer patients. The aim of the present study was to determine the preventive and early-stage anti cytotoxic effects of green tea on the histology of the rats cheek mucosa treated by high single dose of methotrexate. The study included 36 Albino rats. Twelve animals were used in the pilot study to find the maximum toxic dose, and the other twenty four were divided into four groups: vehicle treated control group, green tea extract treated control group (40 mg/kg/day), Methotrexate treated group (80 mg/kg), and methotrexate and green tea extract treated group. Cheek mucosa excision was then performed. Histopathological examination was performed with hematoxylin-eosin, PAS and Masson’s trichrome stains. Cell proliferation was examined using the Ki-67 antibody and anti apoptotic effect was determined based on Bcl-2 staining. The result showed that in the methotrexate and green tea extract treated group, a significant increase in the thickness of the epithelium (p<0.01), a significant decrease in the number of congested blood vessels in the connective tissue of rat cheek mucosa (p<0.01), a non significant different in the Ki-67 expression (p>0.01), and a significant increase in Bcl- 2 expression (p<0.01) were seen in comparison with the methotrexate treated group. In conclusion green tea extract at a concentration of (40 mg/kg/day) produced protection against methotrexate induced oral mucositis by its antioxidant, antiangiogenic and anti apoptotic activity effects, and therefore can be used as a protective natural product to oral mucosa against methotrexate induced cytotoxicity.
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